Science and Society
Contributing to the conservation of biodiversity through wildlife biology.
With a constantly growing human population with limited resources, it's vital to monitor natural populations and understand how they respond to human alteration of ecosystems. Through an appointment in the Student Career Experience Program, I was hired on as a wildlife biologist for a tour of duty to assist in programs related to wildlife management and population biology. I assisted the resident wildlife biologists with trapping and collecting mottled ducks for the banding program, and collecting data on their morphometrics and population numbers. Also, I participated in the South Texas Sea Turtle Project, which involved monitoring sea turtle nests (mostly Kemp's Ridley, but one also green sea turtle), sea turtle hatchling release, and public outreach events.
With a constantly growing human population with limited resources, it's vital to monitor natural populations and understand how they respond to human alteration of ecosystems. Through an appointment in the Student Career Experience Program, I was hired on as a wildlife biologist for a tour of duty to assist in programs related to wildlife management and population biology. I assisted the resident wildlife biologists with trapping and collecting mottled ducks for the banding program, and collecting data on their morphometrics and population numbers. Also, I participated in the South Texas Sea Turtle Project, which involved monitoring sea turtle nests (mostly Kemp's Ridley, but one also green sea turtle), sea turtle hatchling release, and public outreach events.
Engaging the community in science education through public outreach.
Service to the community is an important conduit to share research findings with a broader audience outside academia, and instill a positive attitude towards science in the general public. I am a strong proponent of engaging the public with science to maximize the benefits of science to society, and have participated in many science education events including Darwin Day and STEM camp for girls.
An article on the herpetology outreach event that I led for the Girl Scouts of USA was featured by Reptile Magazine, one of the leading public resources on herpetology. Click here to read our story!
Service to the community is an important conduit to share research findings with a broader audience outside academia, and instill a positive attitude towards science in the general public. I am a strong proponent of engaging the public with science to maximize the benefits of science to society, and have participated in many science education events including Darwin Day and STEM camp for girls.
An article on the herpetology outreach event that I led for the Girl Scouts of USA was featured by Reptile Magazine, one of the leading public resources on herpetology. Click here to read our story!
Promoting museums as keys to understand and curate biodiversity.
Museums are one of the most valuable resources to connect science and society. It is often through museum exhibits that members of the public get their first glimpse of wildlife, and learn about the world around them. Museums serve the dual role of educating the public about research findings while also fostering active research programs that gain new insights into the patterns and processes of biodiversity. I have been a strong proponent of utilizing museum collections for research, teaching, and public outreach. Please read my Curatorial Statement to learn more about my vision on maintaining museum collections for future posterity and my past experiences in supporting museum resources.
Museums are one of the most valuable resources to connect science and society. It is often through museum exhibits that members of the public get their first glimpse of wildlife, and learn about the world around them. Museums serve the dual role of educating the public about research findings while also fostering active research programs that gain new insights into the patterns and processes of biodiversity. I have been a strong proponent of utilizing museum collections for research, teaching, and public outreach. Please read my Curatorial Statement to learn more about my vision on maintaining museum collections for future posterity and my past experiences in supporting museum resources.
